Prophecy of Prometheus
by No One999
Summary: A very short oneshot involving Prometheus.


A.N. This is an university assignment for CLAN 1001.

Apologies for poor writing skills.

* * *

Prometheus lay on his slab of rock, bound by great chains forged by Hephaestus. He lay there, waiting once more for the eagle to swoop down and eat his liver, as had been his punishment, set by the great god Zeus of the Aegis, for daring to give humans the gift of fire. As he waited, he muttered to himself, for who else was there to talk to?

"Ah, what have I done to deserve this? But I have Seen, that it will not always be this way. Eventually, my punishment will end – and Oh! The irony of it! And Zeus, I will not tell. No, he will never know." he chuckled madly to himself.

Over the hill, he saw Io approaching, chased by the gadfly that Hera had set to tormenting her.

"Who are you, and what has caused you to be chained to this great rock?" she asked Prometheus.

"I am Prometheus, and I am here because of Zeus. He objected to my gift of fire for man, and so condemned me to be chained to this rock for all eternity, whilst an eagle comes down eats my liver. But, cursed as I am with immortality, even death offers no escape, and I am forced to endure this torment over and over."

"But that's terrible! Surely there must be some way you could escape!"

"It will not happen until Zeus has been cast down from his lofty perch as god of the Aegis,"

"Mighty Zeus, defeated! Surely this is impossible?!"

"I have seen it – as his father, and his father's father, Zeus will be overthrown by his own son, the result of his own follies."

"Can this not be prevented?"

"Yes, but only if Zeus, sees fit to free me my bonds, and I am released by one of your descendants, many generations from now"

"Ah, this gadfly! It torments me so! I must escape!" shouted Io as she ran blindly into the distance, bucking madly as she was bitten by the gadfly.

Prometheus sighed to himself "It was nice to have company again, but alas, it was not for long. I feel sorry for her, for her torture is not yet done"

A figure walked up to Prometheus, dressed in a simple tunic, with winged sandals on his feet.

"Ah the gods errand boy! What have they sent you to do today, Hermes?" Prometheus asked him.

"Zeus has sent me to find who this son is who you say will overthrow him," Hermes replied, bristling slightly at Prometheus' words.

"Of _course_ he has. Well, did it every enter his head that for some _strange _reason, I, who he has condemned to be chained to this rock in agony for all eternity, don't really feel like telling him anything? But of course, he, in his infinite wisdom, must have thought of that," Prometheus said condescendingly.

"Zeus has decided that you shall be set free if you tell him how to prevent this event,"

"Well now, I don't really want to prevent it, do I? But that offer is tempting, so I'll compromise – I shall give you a clue, and when I am released from my bonds, I'll tell the rest of it. Does that sound reasonable?"

"That sounds fair – what is this clue?"

"It is quite simple – it shall be a marriage of Zeus' that shall be his downfall."

"I will pass on your message" Hermes said, flying off to tell Zeus of Prometheus' prophecy.

* * *

"You again. Haven't you had your fill yet?" Prometheus said, glaring at the eagle that was flying towards him. Suddenly, an arrow flew through the air. Flying true, it struck the eagle straight in the breast, piercing its heart and killing it instantly.

Looking over at where the arrow came from, Prometheus exclaimed "Well, if it isn't Herakles! I was wondering when you would show up," Prometheus shouted jovially to the man.

Herakles walked up to the slab of rock on which Prometheus was chained. He was very well built, with a bow slung over his back, and an animal skin cloak.

"I have been tasked with..."

"Yes yes yes, I know of your labours. I will give you what help I can, as thanks for killing this eagle that has tormented me so."

"I need to find the Apples of the Hesperides"

"Why, nothing easier! Just go see my friend Atlas, who holds up the world. The Hesperides are his daughters – if anyone can get them for you, it will be him"

"Thank you," said Herakles, and walked off.

* * *

Upon his return, Herakles freed Prometheus from his bonds. "Your information was most helpful," Herakles said. Prometheus, though hardly able to move after his imprisonment, shouted to the heavens "Thank you, great Zeus for sending your son to free me! As for my part of the bargain – your marriage with Metis will lead to a son who will remove you from power and take your place." Prometheus then beckoned Herakles closer. "And as thanks for you, too, Herakles, I have a little something to tell you about your greatest task"

* * *

After being freed, Prometheus wandered the lands, avoiding contact with the gods and their priests, and mostly kept to himself. Then, one day, he paused in his wanderings and smiled. "Ah, he has been taken up amongst the immortals. And so it shall come to pass as I have foreseen – as it happened before, so it shall happen again. The son defeats the father, and I shall have my sweet revenge" he said to himself, chuckling slightly.


End file.
